As your lordship has given me this opportunity, I
cannot resist saying, what I was exceedingly tempted
to mention two or three years ago, but had not the
confidence. In short, my lord, when the order
of St. Patrick was instituted, I had a mind to hint
to your lordship that it was exactly the moment for
seizing an occasion that has been irretrievably lost
to this country. When I was at Paris, I found
in the convent of Les Grands Augustins three vast
chambers filled with the portraits (and their names
and titles beneath) of all the knights of the St. Esprit,
from the foundation of the order. Every new
knight, with few exceptions, gives his own portrait
on his creation. Of the order of St. Patrick,
I think but one founder is dead yet; and his picture
perhaps may be retrieved. I will not make any
apology to so good a patriot as your lordship, for
proposing a plan that tends to the honour of his country,
which I will presume to call mine too, as it is both
by union and my affection for it. I should wish
the name of the painter inscribed too, which would
excite emulation in your artists. But it is unnecessary
to dilate on the subject to your lordship; who, as
a patron of the arts, as well as a patriot, will improve
on my imperfect thoughts, and, if you approve of them,
can give them stability. I have the honour to
beg my lord, etc.

I am extremely obliged to your ladyship for your kind
letter; and, though I cannot write myself, I can dictate
a few lines. This has not been a regular fit
of the gout, but a worse case: one of my fingers
opened with a deposit of chalk,(563) and brought on
gout, and both together an inflammation and swelling
almost up to my shoulder. in short, I was forced to
have a surgeon, who has managed me so Judiciously,
that both the inflammation and swelling are gone;
and nothing remains but the wound in my finger, which
will heal as soon as all the chalk is discharged.
My surgeon wishes me to take the air; but I am so
afraid of a relapse, that I have not yet consented.

My poor old friend is a great loss;(564) but it did
not much Surprise me, and the manner comforts me.
I had played at cards with her at Mrs. Gostling’s
three nights before I came to town, and found her
extremely confused, and not knowing what she did:
indeed, I perceived something Of the sort before, and
had found her much broken this autumn. It seems,
that the day after I saw her, she went to General
Lister’s burial and got cold, and had been ill